1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to a water-heater pan and, more particularly, to a water-heater pan having a bottom outlet-drain.
2. Description of the Related Art
A water heater of the type found, for example, in a garage, basement, or utility room of a residential building generally includes a cylindrical body that houses a reservoir or water tank. Legs can be used to support the body in spaced relation to a floor of the building. A water heater of this type also generally includes cold-and-hot-water connections and a pressure, temperature, or other relief valve extending from the body.
The relief valve must typically discharge water from the water tank, for instance, into a drainage system associated with the building for disposal of the water. As such, a drain is usually installed in a floor of the building and into which the relief valve can discharge the water. More specifically, discharge plumbing extends from the outlet of the relief valve to the floor drain. Some building codes, in fact, specify that the discharge plumbing must be routed to the floor drain.
In addition to the water heater, other appliances, such as an air-conditioning unit, may also be found in the utility room, for example. Similar to the case of the water heater, a condensation line extends from the air-conditioning unit to a floor drain to accept discharge from the unit. Again like in the case of the water heater, some building codes, in fact, specify that the condensation line must also be routed to a floor drain. In a multi-story residential building, such as an apartment building, both a water heater and an air-conditioning unit are generally installed in each dwelling of each story of the building.
As a precautionary measure, some building codes even require that the water heater be placed in a pan, especially in the case of a multi-story residential building. The pan is designed for receiving water and other discharge leaking from the water heater and its associated connections. In this way, the pan prevents damage to the area of the floor surrounding the water heater due to standing water caused by catastrophic failure of the water heater and/or leakage of the relief valve and/or discharge plumbing.
The pan generally includes a substantially round bottom surface for receiving the water heater and a wall extending upwardly from the bottom surface. The pan also includes an outlet or other opening formed on the wall and spaced from the bottom surface of the pan. The outlet, for instance, acts as a means for discharging water that may be collected in the pan. According to current practice in the plumbing industry, no other source of water, such as discharge plumbing from a relief valve or a condensation line from an air-conditioning unit, can be routed to the pan.
Typically, the pan is of sufficient size, shape, and dimension so as to catch all water and other discharge dripping from the water heater and its associated connections and to accommodate tanks of various sizes. Further, the contents of the pan are drained from the outlet of the pan to the suitably located floor drain via waste plumbing. Unfortunately, the location of the outlet on the wall of the pan does not allow for complete drainage of the pan. Mildew is more likely to form within the pan caused by dampness due to incomplete drainage of the pan.
In an apartment building, a pan is generally employed with each water heater of the building to protect against floor damage caused by leakage due to failure of the water heater. Consequently, a floor drain is usually installed in each dwelling of each story of the building and into which the respective pan can discharge its contents through the corresponding waste plumbing. On the other hand, the discharge plumbing and condensation lines are used to route corresponding relief-valve discharge and air-conditioning condensate to the floor drain. The plumbing and lines can take the form of pipes or flexible hosing or tubing, for example.
Considering the potentially high number of dwellings on each of a potentially high number of stories of an apartment building, the increased costs associated with plumbing the drains and discharge, condensation, and waste pipes, for example, and the amount of labor and time for such plumbing can be very substantial, depending upon the number of dwellings within the building. In fact, it is not uncommon for a high-rise apartment building to have hundreds of dwellings. Adding to this the potentially high number of existing and future apartment buildings within a given area, such costs become even more staggering.
Also, extension of discharge, condensation, and waste pipes along a floor to the respective floor drain results in a cluttered utility room. This presents an inconvenience and a potential trip hazard and is aesthetically displeasing. Furthermore, when a drain is installed for these purposes, it is often not watertight with respect to the floor. Therefore, it is not uncommon over a period of time for water damage, like decay, to occur to the floor around the drain. In addition, clothing and other debris disposed on the floor can block or hinder access of the water to the drain to, thereby, create more standing water for damaging the floor around the drain.
Thus, there is a need in the related art for a water-heater pan that prevents damage to the area of a floor surrounding a water heater due to standing water caused by catastrophic failure of the water heater and/or leakage of a relief valve and/or discharge plumbing. There is also a need in the related art for a water-heater pan that allows for complete drainage of the pan and is, thus, more likely to prevent mildew from forming within the pan caused by dampness due to incomplete drainage of the pan.
There is also a need in the related art for decreased costs associated with plumbing drains and discharge, condensation, and waste pipes and the amount of labor and time for such plumbing, especially in multi-story residential dwellings. There is also a need in the related art for plumbing of discharge, condensation, and waste pipes that results in less clutter and is, thus, more convenient, safer, and more aesthetically pleasing than such plumbing of the related art. There is also a need in the related art for watertight installation of drains with respect to corresponding floors such that water damage, like decay, to the floor around the drain is minimized or eliminated. There is also a need in the related art for plumbing of drains such that clothing and other debris disposed on the floor cannot block or hinder access of the water to the respective drains to, thereby, create more standing water for damaging the floor around the drains.